This invention relates generally to gaming. More particularly, the invention relates to a method, apparatus and gaming set for use in a progressive pull-tab game.
xe2x80x9cPull-tabxe2x80x9d is a game of chance, commonly played in casinos and taverns. In a pull-tab game, participants purchase pull-tab cards from a large fixed pool or set. The game ends when the entire pool of cards has been purchased. The cards in a set are marked at the time of manufacture with various patterns of symbols or indicia. The indicia on the otherwise identical cards is covered when the cards are sold so that neither the operator nor player can see the indicia before the card is purchased. A certain number of cards in each set are manufactured with a pattern of indicia indicating that they are winners. Such winning cards will have a predetermined pay-off value: $1, $5, $1,000, etc. Other cards may have zero value.
The set of cards may be stored and distributed electronically as well as in printed form. In this case, the cards are stored and distributed in a predetermined order, just as with printed cards. Likewise, certain of the electronic cards are coded as winners and losers. Until the cards are dispensed or displayed, it is not possible for a player to determine whether a particular electronic card is a winner, and, if so, its pay-off value.
The winning and losing cards are randomly mixed in the pool and externally identical. Therefore, the value of a card is not ascertainable prior to its opening or display upon purchase. Whether winner or loser, the value of each card is dependent only on the pattern of indicia printed thereon or associated therewith and therefore is predetermined at the time the cards are printed or generated. Because the number of winning cards in a set, and the value of each, is known, the operator of the game knows the total pay-out for a game in advance, as do the players.
In one variation of the standard pull-tab games, there are multiple separate indicia on or associated with each card. With these xe2x80x9cmulti-playxe2x80x9d cards, which may have twenty plays on a single card, the player has many opportunities to win. With multiple plays on each card, each multi-play card may be a winner by including at least one winning play. The pay-off values for multi-play cards, however, are typically much smaller because of the many winning combinations. Multi-play cards may be sold at higher prices than single-play cards.
Games of chance can be described as either progressive or non-progressive. In non-progressive games, such as traditional pull-tab, participants play for a chance to win a predetermined prize, i.e., one of the winning cards. Progressive games, in contrast, involve a jackpot or prize that grows during the play of the game. Many state numbers lotteries, for instance, fall into the progressive category because the prize increases over time as more players participate. During the operation of a progressive game, a portion of each player""s purchase is dedicated to the prize. Thus, the prize grows until the winning numbers are selected and the game ends. Some slot machines also offer a progressive jackpot.
While progressive games typically offer participants greater excitement and appeal because of the opportunity to win a larger prize, such games are more complex to operate. Moreover, not all games of chance lend themselves to a progressive implementation. Pull-tab, for instance, has not been amenable for implementation in a progressive game because of the use of a pre-printed or pre-generated set of cards with predetermined winning amounts.
Because of the popularity of traditional slot machines, which provide the player with an immediate visual indication of the outcome of a play, it is generally desirable to offer a pull-tab game which resembles a slot game. One principle way this has been achieved is by providing an automatic reader to read the cards as they are dispensed. Another way this has been achieved is by providing a separate reader to read the cards upon insertion of the cards into the reader by a player. In the case of electronic tickets, the status of the card is determined when it is displayed. In any case, the resulting play can then be depicted visually on a video display in a fashion replicating the appearance of a slot machine. When this type of system is used with a multi-play pull-tab card, a sequence of plays can be completed without interruption. However, because this system still uses pre-printed cards or pre-generated cards with predetermined values, it has not been amenable for implementation in a progressive format.
The present invention includes a pull-tab gaming set, a progressive pull-tab gaming system and a method of operating a progressive pull-tab game. The gaming set includes a plurality of pull-tab cards, each card having a selectively revealable gaming section. The gaming section contains indicia of a redemption value of the card which is unascertainable until the card is dispensed or displayed. There are preferably two classes of pull-tab cards or plays in the gaming set in the form of winners having indicia of a fixed non-zero value, and at least one jackpot card with indicia of an undetermined total value.
The invention also encompasses a progressive pull-tab card game system including a pull-tab dispensing unit configured to dispense or display pull-tab cards, a jackpot display and a control system operatively connected to the dispensing unit to monitor the quantity of pull-tab cards dispensed. The control system is configured to compute a jackpot value dependent on the dispensing or displaying of cards and operatively connected to the jackpot display to cause it to display the computed jackpot value as pull-tab cards are dispensed or displayed.
One more aspect of the present invention is a method of operating a progressive pull-tab game including the steps of providing a set of pull-tab cards which includes at least one jackpot card without a predetermined total value, setting a progressive jackpot to a predetermined value, displaying the progressive jackpot, dispensing or displaying one of the pull-tab cards to a player, selectively increasing the value of the progressive jackpot, repeating the steps of displaying, dispensing and selectively increasing until the jackpot card is dispensed and then awarding the progressive jackpot to the player that received the jackpot card.
Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will be apparent to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of this invention is disclosed as an illustrative example only.